


story time.

by bledstars



Series: Claudeleth Week 2020 [6]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Babies, Claudeleth Week, Family time, Fluff, Gen, claudleth week, kids are so cute....so pouty and so cute, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:42:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28472568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bledstars/pseuds/bledstars
Summary: A young prince loves stories. He loves it when his mother curls up next to him to read him a bedtime story. He loves to listen to his father who was a great storyteller. He was just a young prince that wanted to collect as many stories with his parents as possible.Prompt: Birthday/Fate
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Series: Claudeleth Week 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1851031
Kudos: 32





	story time.

The young Almyran prince sat by the edge of the fountain. He lightly poked the surface with his finger and watched the ripples form. As the water pushed out from his finger, moving away from the foreign object until he retracted his hand. He watched the water rush back to fill back the surface that it abandoned. 

He repeated his actions, watching the way the rings form and then vanish. The repetitive action was boring but there was nothing else he could do. Maybe he should get a rock and see what sort of ripple would be made.

It would be too much work to find a good rock to use and then he’d lose a good rock in the process. So, he went back to poking the surface of the water and then he heard a familiar warm chuckle from behind him. Looking up he saw his father looking down at him with a tender expression. “Father!” 

The young prince did not expect to see his father today. Smiling when the King sat down beside him, his large hand ruffling his brown hair that matched his own, the young prince felt a warmth bloom within his chest. “I heard that you ran away from your nanny again, little one.” 

“Ahh…” The young boy’s ears turned pink before he pouted and turned away. His father came to reprimand him, he should have just left him alone. He pinched his trousers before shaking his head. “She tried to read the story I was saving for mother.” 

“A story you were saving?”His father’s voice was warm and gentle, it reminded him of sunny days and of clear blue skies. His father’s voice was soothing and yet still held an authoritative tone that suited his role as King. But it was his mother’s voice he loved most. 

His mother’s voice that was soft and quiet. That was neither too high or too low. His mother’s voice that felt like a treasure every time her heard it. It was the best when she told his bedtime stories. How she would curl to his side, bring him closer so he can snuggle up against her and feel her warmth. How her hand that was calloused from years on the battlefield would gently play with his curly locks before she pressed a kiss to the top of his head.

“What do you wish to read tonight, my deer?” She’d say and he’d pull out a book out and she’d smile. And he knew that there was nothing more beautiful than his mother’s smile.The way it reached her eyes and made them sparkle. It was then he knew that he wanted to protect that smile most. That precious smile that warmed his heart. 

Taking out the large storybook, he turned it to the story he chose for the evening and looked up to look into the eyes that matched his own. “This one, mama.” He would say and she would poke his nose before she took the book into her lap and began reading. 

“Little one?” His father’s gentle voice brought him back to the present and he remembered why it was he was lost in his memories. He missed his mother and he didn’t want his nanny to take over the special moment that he shared with his mother. The young prince just shook his head stubbornly. Not even his father would make him change his mind. 

“You’re just like your mother. Stubborn when you make up your mind.” 

“She would say that I’m like you.” 

And that brought a warm chuckle from the king. As he scooped up his young son into his arm, he felt the bristles of his father’s beard against his cheek as he nuzzled his face against it. “You are right in that. I know that you do not like anyone but your mother to read you stories..but what I tell you one instead?”They boy’s light green eyes lit up at the idea and quickly he pulled away and smiled brightly at his father. 

“A story? Is it one about the war? Or the time you met mother? Or maybe…” 

“I don’t think your mother would like me to tell you any war stories just yet, little one.” As they walked down the halls of the palace, the servants all smiled at the young prince in the arms of the King. 

“Hmnn…then tell me a story about mother.” 

“Your mother? Just her?” The amused tone of the king as he tried to feign a hurt expression. “You wound me, little one.” 

“Well you…always talk about you two..I just want to know about mother.” 

“Curious about her, are you? Just like your Father.” He said with a grin before he nuzzled his nose against his son’s and sighed. “Well.. Your mother…is a woman who would look at death in the eyes and laugh. And your mother doesn’t laugh often. Your mother is a woman that would defy fate to come back home. She is one of the strongest..bravest people I know.” 

“That’s not a story, Father.”  


Another chuckle as he carefully walked up the stairs with his son in his arms. “Well shall I tell you about the time when she tamed a wyvern that most thought would die without a rider? A beast that was known to be as cruel that became docile the moment they locked eyes with your mother.” 

“You mean, Nida was the legendary black wyvern!?” The squeal from the little boy who had read the stories with his mother about the wyvern was known to be from the line of dragons. The last of it’s kind. To think that that legendary beast was his mother’s partner. _His mother was truly the most extraordinary person ever._

“Yes….Nida..You know how upset I was that even when I grew up around wyvern, even if I knew about Nida all my life… I was still not chosen..In her first month here…Nida came down from her den and stood in front of your mother and nuzzled her hand as if she was any old wyvern. To say it was shocking…Well let’s just say that this kingdom didn’t need anything els to convince them to let her be their queen. She was more than worthy. But then again your mother is someone that can wield the Sword that could cut mountains.” 

“Mother can?” The young prince who was known as the symbol of peace, the symbol of a new dawn, truly looked like an awestruck child.

“She can and she did. That was the sword that she used with ease during the war. Even now, she has it next to our bed in case of an upcoming battle.” 

“That old thing is the legendary sword? Is mother even…how is she so…”

“I ask myself that every day..then I just thank the stars that she chose to be my side.” 

“I should start thanking the stars too.”The young boy whispered with a nod and the King smiled before ruffing his hair. “I miss mother.” 

“I’m sure she misses you.”

“She’s been very…busy lately.” The young prince said with a small frown and then nuzzled his face into his father’s shoulder. “And she’s going to keep being busy…” 

“Young one…”And the small whimper made the king sigh. Rubbing the back of his sons’s head gently, he pressed his lips onto his temple. “Your mother loves you.” 

“I know…” 

“And just because she can’t spend all her time with you anymore.. doesn’t mean that she loves you any less. Your mother…even without a heartbeat…has one of the biggest hearts in the world. She had an endless amount of love for those she cherishes.” 

“I know…” 

“So…will you tell your Father what you are so afraid of?” 

“…It’s silly.” The young boy said quietly before he gently rose his head to see his father’s green eye staring down at him. “What if mother..can’t read me my stories anymore?” 

“That is very silly.” The king said after a brief pause and the young boy wanted to hide. But then as he buried his head into his father’s shoulder. “My love…Your son believes that you won’t read him anymore stories.” 

The boy’s head snapped up and he quickly realized his father had taken him into his parent’s chambers. He heard the soft laughter that could only belong to the person he missed most. He saw his mother’s mint hair braided and set off to one side of her face. He saw the way she put down whatever documents she was reading and opened her arms. 

He couldn’t get out of his father’s arms fast enough. 

“I swear that he loves you more than me…again…sort of upsetting.” The king said with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck and followed behind his son who rushed to get on top of the bed and quickly hug his mother. The warmth in his gaze however said the opposite. This was what he wanted, a family with the woman he loved most in the world. A world they created together. A new dawn where peace and a better future awaited them. “Is it too soon, Byleth?”

“No..your timing was as perfect as ever, Khalid.” She said softly before she leaned into her husband’s hand which gently cupped one of her cheeks. 

“Mother…You won’t…just stop..reading me stories..right?” The boy’s muffled voice was soft as his mint green eyes looked up to see the soft gaze in his mother’s eyes.

“Of course not. But we may have to include someone else.” 

“Someone else…” The boy fidgeted and played with his mother’s nightgown and then nodded slowly. “I could share bedtime stories with someone else.” 

“What a good boy you are.” She pressed her lips against her son’s forehead before a maid came forth with a bundle. “I think you should meet the one you made the most happy then.” 

“Hmn?” 

And then in his mother’s arms was a bundle of purple and as he got to his knees to lean in to see what was in the blanket, his lips widened with a big smile.

There with dark curly locks like his, was a baby with chubby cheeks. Their long eyelashes fluttered opened and he gasped at their eyes. One of them was his father’s dark green color but the other was a dark blue, a color he had only heard of in the stories his father told him. The original color of his mother’s eye. And while the prince felt a tinge of jealousy, he also couldn’t help but feel happy. His sister’s eyes were beautiful. And when they locked with his, the little baby smiled brightly and giggled. Waving it’s little hand in the air and the little prince reached out. Like with the ripple of water, he gently placed his hand in front of her and when she grabbed it with her tiny hand, he laughed. 

“Hello there.” He said with a smile, already enchanted by his little sister and how he looked between his parents’ warm expression. He had heard it was a hard pregnancy on his mother from the whispering maids. And even if he didn’t know what that meant, he knew it wasn’t a good thing. His mother was then stuck in her bedroom for two whole days. Two whole days that made the young prince anxious and afraid. Why did his mother take so long? Why did it bring a dark cloud upon the entire castle? Why did his Aunt Marianne whisper to his father and make him frown. He was afraid..so maybe that was why he couldn’t sleep well. And maybe he shouldn't have run away from his nanny who was trying to get him to nap. But..he was afraid. 

But as he looked at his younger sister who smiled brightly at him all of that fear and anxiety quickly melted away. He still thought his mother’s smile was the most precious thing he should protect, but maybe…there was someone else that he could consider for that place in his heart. 

“Her name is Daria.” his father whispered as he sat down on the bed and looked at his wife with loving eyes.

“Fate.” The young boy whispered softly and played with the little fingers that gripped him tightly. “I am named after the new dawn…My name is Nouvel…I am your older brother and I shall always protect you.” He promised before he gently kissed the little fingertips and smiled brightly at the cheerful noise his sister made. 

“My little deer.” He heard his mother voice call out to him and he looked up to see the warm smile on her lips and felt proud of himself. “Why don’t you choose a story for us to read. Your father already bought your storybook from your room. It’ll be your first birthday gift to Daria.” 

“Oh yes…Mother is wonderful when it comes to reading stories…Father is a great storyteller. And I choose the best stories. So…” He leaned down and nuzzled his little sister’s nose. “Happy birthday, little sister.” 

**Author's Note:**

> And....I finished the prompts! I mean..not really there is still free day...but that's......LOOK.. I'll use my day 7 idea for another time...I just really wanted to finish out this series before 2020 ended....which is in like two hours.....ANYWAYS I felt really soft while writing this and I just...I love this ship so much.... Happy New Year! Let's hope 2021 is better! And I hope this makes you smile as the end of the year approaches! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this fic! Let me know what you thought and just thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> Twitter @ bledstars


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